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“Maybe not. I would like to get this scholarship. Not that I’m looking forward to four more years of school, but it’s better than going to work right now.”
“In college, you can find answers to lots more questions.”
“I suppose. Of course, Michelle thinks we’re getting married. If I go to college, I can put off marrying her.”
“Do you want to put off marrying her?”
“Yeah. No. I don’t know.”
“You’re only eighteen. It’s not a sin to want to put off marriage for a while. I sure don’t want to get married right now.”
“But you have a future.”
“What kind of talk is that? You have a future.”
“I might if I get this scholarship.”
“You have a future anyway. It’s what you make of it that matters.”
“I don’t want to end up like my dad. Going nowhere in a nowhere job.”
“I heard he had an accident. I’m sorry.”
“Well, he’ll live, but he’s on disability for the rest of his life.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You already said that.” He smiled.
“I know. I don’t know what else to say. I understand, though, why you want to get your math grade up. You want that scholarship.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“You’ve done well. I think you’ll be okay. I can continue to meet with you each Monday.”
“But we still need to figure out the answer to our question.”
“What question?”
“Why a negative times a negative equals a positive.”
“Okay, Brett. But we don’t have to figure it out tonight.” She took a bite of pizza.
“Why can’t we? I’m here, you’re here. With my curiosity and your brain we ought to be able to handle it.”
“Okay.” She swallowed and took a sip of water. “Let’s do some analysis then. We understand why two positives equal a positive, and why a negative and a positive equal a negative.”
“Yep.”
“So we need to think about why two negatives equal a positive.” She inhaled. “I’m stumped.”
“I feel a little better if it stumps you, too. You’re the smartest person I know.”
Heat crept up her neck. “Am I?” It wasn’t like her to be coy, but she couldn’t help it.
“Yep, you always have been. I thought for sure you’d know the answer to this.”
“Maybe we can figure it out together.”
